Introduction: The TikTok Refugee Movement and the Emergence of a New Digital Opportunity Recent developments surrounding TikTok in the United States have sparked an unexpected and intriguing shift in digital user demographics. In January 2025, the potential ban of TikTok’s service in the U.S. led to a significant migration of American users seeking alternative platforms. […]

In recent years I have witnessed a significant and crucial transformation in the digital world. Core internet services—such as CDN acceleration, DNS resolution, and development frameworks—have traditionally operated under the principle of technical neutrality. This principle has long protected these infrastructure providers from being held directly responsible for the content they help deliver. They were […]

Introduction: The Emerging Landscape of AI Voice Rights Protection The swift progress of artificial intelligence has dramatically changed the ways we create, share, and consume digital content. One of the most revolutionary developments is AI voice synthesis technology, which allows for the creation of highly realistic, human-like voices from text input. While this technology holds […]

On July 21, 2025, the Hangzhou Intermediate Court delivered a second-instance ruling in the trademark infringement and unfair competition dispute concerning the George Patton brand Case No.: (2024) Zhe 01 Min Zhong 10520. This landmark case, recognized as the first involving metaverse virtual reality trademarks, has garnered widespread attention. The court not only upheld the […]

Recently, the Beijing Internet Court delivered its first-instance verdict in China inaugural copyright infringement case related to virtual digital humans. This groundbreaking ruling marks a significant step forward in protecting intellectual property rights for digital humans in China. It provides crucial legal clarity for international companies involved in virtual digital human projects within the Chinese […]

Case Background The Hangzhou Internet Court recently adjudicated a pivotal copyright dispute concerning an AI platform enabling users to train and distribute LoRA models derived from protected Ultraman imagery. This ruling establishes critical boundaries for generative AI service providers’ legal responsibilities when facilitating user-generated content that implicates third-party intellectual property. Technical Functionality & Alleged Infringement […]

AI models comprise their structure and parameters. The structure includes the arrangement and quantity of components, while the parameters are specific values obtained through training and optimization. In March 2025, the Beijing Intellectual Property Court made a landmark ruling in the Douyin v. B612 case, marking the first time AI model structure parameters were protected […]

Virtual property generated within online gaming environments is represented as data within a designated digital space. Given its intrinsic value, capacity to meet user demands, legal recognition, and manageability, it is categorized as a distinct form of property that can be exchanged under certain conditions. As such, it possesses attributes akin to property interests. According to Article 2 […]

Case Summary A company based in Shanghai runs a non-ferrous metal price information platform called Shanghai Youmo Network. This site offers consumers daily spot metal prices, known as SMM price data, for various metals such as copper, aluminum, lead, and zinc, totaling 1,249 price points. The information is collected through market research and analyzed using proprietary AI algorithms, gaining considerable recognition in the market. […]

This article, originally published in Chinese in Issue 10 of China Judgments in 2025, is authored by He Zhuolan, who holds the position of Assistant Judge at the Judicial Administration Office of the Guangzhou Internet Court. Emotional artificial intelligence (referred to as “emotional AI”) encompasses AI applications that facilitate emotional interactions with users and offer psychological […]

The rapid advancements in intelligent robotics and live streaming have led to the emergence of numerous legal challenges, such as defining the legal status of virtual digital personas, determining if using someone else’s virtual persona for live streaming is an infringement, and whether mimicking another’s live streaming room design amounts to unfair competition. The Hangzhou Court addressed these issues in the Erbai Robot case, clarifying […]

In a time when artificial intelligence knows no boundaries, developers of AI applications in China are leading the way in global technology. The rapid growth of AI app exports, which includes advanced language processing tools, computer vision technologies, and predictive analytics systems, necessitates the establishment of robust intellectual property protection measures. This strategic need goes […]

This case marks a significant milestone as the first national ruling aimed at safeguarding the copyright of AI-generated “text-to-image” works. （2023）京0491民初11279号民事判决书 In its ruling, the Chinese court maintained an “anthropocentric” approach to defining copyright ownership, viewing the AI model as a supportive tool rather than the primary creator. It underscores the legislative intent of “encouraging creation” while reaffirming […]

Douyin Copying Editing Code of Meishe SDK In May 2021, Meishe Company discovered that the audio and video editing code within the Douyin app had been largely replicated from its Meishe SDK software, which is protected by copyright. Further investigations indicated that other ByteDance products, such as Jianying, Juyuan Chuangyi, Faceu, Tuchong, Qingyan Camera, Duoshan, […]

法官说商标 _ “撤三”案件中“真实使用意图”的判断 High Standards for Evidence in Trademark Non-Use Cancellations The phrase “Cancellation for Non-Use” refers to a trademark cancellation initiated by the registered owner due to a lack of valid reasons for not using the trademark. This is commonly known as a “trademark cancellation for non-use” case. Recently, trademark applications in China have […]

China leads the world in both steel production and sales. With an impressive annual output of approximately 1 billion tons, China accounts for nearly half of the global steel production. Following China, India ranks second with around 100 million tons produced annually. Japan and the United States each produce between 70 to 80 million tons, […]

This segment shines a spotlight on the latest trademark law cases from the CNIPA or local Courts in China, offering a glimpse into the evolving landscape of adjudication and prosecution trends and intellectual property policy shifts in judicial and administrative matters concerning Chinese trademark law, all drawn from the most recent decisions and rulings. Court: […]

Practice Trends This case was selected by Beijing High Court among the Ten Most Significant Cases of the Beijing High Court and the Ten Most Notable Cases Pertaining to Judicial Protection for Trademark Prosecution in 2024. It serves as a notable illustration of the thorough investigation of fraudulent evidence in cases of non-use cancellation of trademarks registered over […]

Case Number: (2021) Jing 0105 Minchu 42912 Case Summary Plaintiff: Takashi Murakami Defendants: Alcon Company, Beijing Hengzhi Company, Shenzhen Junfei Company. Takashi Murakami is a highly regarded contemporary artist from Japan, celebrated for his impactful work on a global scale. Among his notable creations is the “Sunflower” series, which has gained widespread acclaim and recognition. […]

Judicial Viewpoint in Detail 【Case Number】: (2018) Jing Xing Zhong 312 【Adjudicating Institution】: Beijing High People’s Court In this case, all parties agree that the goods associated with the disputed trademark and the goods approved for the cited trademark are the same or similar. The disputed trademark features the Chinese phrase “五粮液年份原浆” (Wuliangye Vintage Original Liquor), […]